Cooperative fasteners are useful to provide means of releasably attaching two objects together, or attaching together two portions of a single object. A male fastener, for example a hook carrying fastener, can become engaged with a female touch fastener, for example a loop carrying fastener, simply by the hooks contacting the loops on the female touch fastener. In some instances, the male touch fastener can become inadvertently engaged with other fibrous materials, such as fabrics and human hair, sometimes damaging such materials. Additionally, the exposure of loop carrying fasteners to fibrous material can cause fouling of the fastener, reducing the effectiveness and the life of the fastener.